What are Korean cushion foundations, who are they designed for, how to choose them, how to use them… Everything you want(ed) to know about Korean cushion foundations is in this post!
Cushion foundations… Still not very well known outside Asia, but I definitely believe they really deserve more attention! So today, let’s take a closer look at what a cushion foundation is exactly, why (in all objectivity) the best of them are the Korean ones, who can use them (not only Korean people!), how to choose them and the best way to use them! I will tell you everything and I will also show you my small (lol) collection in today’s post!
Like many Westerners, I first heard about K-Beauty with BB creams, those 3-in-1 makeup/skincare/sunscreen with high coverage, base products. Popular in Korea since the 90s, they arrived elsewhere 20 years later and are now a classic face makeup product.
Porex Takes South Korean Inspired Cushion Compact Technology A Step Further
I don’t know if cushions will follow the same path, but I wouldn’t be surprised! It would not be the first time that K-Beauty transforms a niche product for Korean customers into a cult product appreciated worldwide (sheet-masks, essences, night masks… there are many examples!)
This lightweight and spongy liquid foundation in a compact format is still not very well known in the West, but cushion foundations have been a leading product in Korea for several years now (almost 10 years!). Recently, it has taken China by storm, where Korean and Western brands are releasing all their most popular liquid foundations in cushion format.
Western brands have already tried with more or less success to launch their own versions in Europe and the US (4 or 5 years ago) but as often, I think it’s a matter of good timing and that it was maybe a bit premature.
Bb Air Cushion Foundation Cream Mushroom Head Cc Concealer Whitening Makeup Cosmetic Korean Waterproof Brighten Face Base Tone M
Anyway, personally, I’m a self-proclaimed cushion-addict, and it would be nice if this format was more accessible and appropriately developed (= with more shades) in all markets!
In the meantime, just in case the cushion craze does happen, I thought it would be nice to give you an introduction to cushion foundations. That way, you’ll be in the know before anyone else 😉
In this article, I’ll mostly talk about Korean cushions, which are the ones I’m most familiar with and have experimented with the most 🙂
Selfbeauty Moisturizing Hyaluronic Acid Bb Cushion Foundation
Makeup The best Korean cushion foundations Now that you’ve all seen my “small ” collection of cushion foundations, I have no choice but to tell you a little more about them! What are my favorites, why do I like them and what do they look like in action on my skin. So here’s my best-of of Korean cushion foundations, 2021 edition! Read more
Yes, we’re going to get a little technical because cushion foundations are a Korean cosmetic technology gem and I find their history absolutely fascinating! And it will also help you to understand what a cushion is, if cushions are new to you 🙂
The group’s original goal was to develop a multifunctional sunscreen product that would be easier to transport and apply (and reapply) during the day than conventional products in tubes, jars or pump bottles.
Luna 50 Hours Conceal Fixing Korean Cushion Foundation, Sunscreen Makeup, Full C
I’ve said this many times before, but a foundation with SPF, like a cushion for example, is not a sufficient sun protection if you’re using it alone. The amount you’re using is not enough. However, it’s a very convenient product to reapply some protection during the day, as a touch-up, on top of the sunscreen you applied in the morning 🙂
The idea of the sponge, which is the famous “cushion“, came from the need to keep a liquid and lightweight formula, that could be easy to carry. They wanted to create something different from the conventional compact cream foundation, that was already well known and used, but that left a finish that was too thick and heavy for the desired effect.
The cushion foundation is a logical continuation of the BB cream trend and it was first marketed in Korea as its lightweight version, ideal to use during the summer (also because you can easily reapply it to keep a good sun protection throughout the day).
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But it soon became clear to marketers that Korean users preferred compact cushions to BB creams because of their ease of use and their light, natural, glowy coverage.
Over the years, the appearance of compacts has become important as well; some Korean cushions are real collector’s items, especially the super pretty limited editions!
To make their first cushion, AmorePacific claims to have conducted over 3, 600 tests with 200 different types of sponges, ranging from latex used in bedding to the type of material used to make bath sponges. They finally choose a polyurethane foam/sponge.
Korean Cushion Foundation
In March 2008, the group launched its first cushion for theirIOPEbrand. This was the first original compact cushion foundation and also an immediate success! It’s still a bestseller; one is sold every 30 seconds on the Asian continent (It has just been reformulated, and I already have its new version 😉 ).
In Korea, cushion foundations became mainstream in 2014, when it appeared in the hit K-Drama My Love From the Star, where the show’s female lead actress Jun Ji-Hyun, is seen applying the IOPE cushion foundation in one of the scenes. In the same year, Amorepacific brands sold 26 million units of their cushions, which represented 10% of its total sales at the time.
The company has since continued with its research and continuously improved the technology and quality of its cushions with more than 15 reformulations since its first launch.
Hera Black Cushion Foundation 23beige Korean Makeup Spf34pa++0.53oz+1refill Set
AmorePacific has filed more than 400 patents in Korea, China, Japan, Europe and the United States around its cushions technology. Many Western brands also have their cushions manufactured on AmorePacific’s production facilities in Korea (this is the case forDior, for example).
– they have a fresh effect when you apply them because the liquid product formula contains cold air and the cushion sponge is also cooling,
– the puff used to apply the product collects the right amount of product and allows to apply it evenly on the skin,
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– the same sponge is designed not to be too absorbent, unlike a conventional sponge which tends to retain too much product, which can generate a significant waste,
– the packaging of the compact has a seal to prevent evaporation of the formula (AmorePacific cushions often dry less quickly than those from their competitors).
For a long time, AmorePacific kept a near-monopoly of this technology but this changed recently, after the group had to facea lawsuitfrom several Korean companies that wanted to use this technology to manufacture cushions. They challenged the validity of some patents held by AmorePacific, and in 2018, they won their case.
Kbeauty Korean Cushion Foundation Amuse Pink/ Foundation Hell In Brandenburg
This explains why the gap between AmorePacific and its competitors is narrowing, and that you can find very efficient and innovative cushion foundations in many other brands now!
Full disclosure: before I experimented with cushion foundations on my first trip to Korea in 2016, I thought they were not for me.
I thought their formulas were always satiny, with even a sheer glowy finish for some of them. In my head, I pictured them more for dry skin, without too many blemishes to cover up, as the formulas didn’t look very full coverage.
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Their compact size made me assume it was essential to take them with you to reapply during the day (which is not completely wrong but not for the reasons I thought). So I thought that their lasting power probably wasn’t great. With my combination skin, and living in a warm country, I’ve been wearing rather long-lasting foundations with a matte finish for several years now.
On the one hand, my tastes have changed quite a bit in the last few months and I’m not against a nice satin finish anymore, much more flattering on my “aging” skin.
On the other hand, having been able to try several cushion foundation formulas, most of them are now as long lasting as classic liquid foundations! The progress made in the recent years is quite spectacular and nowadays, you can find cushions foundations to suit everyone’s needs.
Age 20's Signature Intense Sunscreen Spf 50+ Foundation Natural Coverage Cushion Korean Makeup 71% Essence Natural Dewy Finish Refill Included 21 Light Beige (0.49 Oz X2 Ea) 21 Light Beige
Basically, cushion foundations have become over the years a product equivalent to other foundations, where you can find several finishes, several types of coverage…
Perfect for dry skin or those who like the “glowy” effect. They are often very moisturizing, which is why in Korea, some people call them “winter” cushion foundations.
For combination to oily skin, and to avoid looking shiny during the day. Depending on the formula, they have a matte or semi-matte finish, and some even have an almost powdery finish. These cushions are quite popular for summer, as it’s quite humid during summer in Korea.
Clio Kill Cover The New Founwear Cushion Set (+refill)
Very appreciated by mature skin people, their formula resembles skincare more than makeup and they’re generally quite rich and moisturizing (therefore not especially matte or long-lasting). You can find them in premium Korean hanbang brands (= that use the precepts of traditional Asian medicine).
Sulwhasoo Perfecting Cushion EX (my review of this cushion is available here; this specific packaging was a limited edition from a few years ago but the formula is still the same).
These are
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